By Momodou Jarju
Gambian athletes are expected to participate in themaiden Africa School Games under the auspices of Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA). The event, which will bring together more than 3,500 athletes and officials from all 54 participating countries, will be held in Algeria from 26 July to 5 August 2025. School children between 14 and 17 years will take part in the games.
The Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) disclosed on Monday evening that they are preparing to play a part in the novel initiative and intends to feature athletes in athletics, swimming, judo, basketball, wrestling, and beach volleyball.
“In athletics five boys and five girls will be selected, swimming will feature two athletes (1 boy and 1 girl), in judo two boys and two girls will represent the country, basketball will fill a 3×3 team (4 boys), wrestling will register one boy and one girl, whiles beach volleyball will register two boys and two girls.
“Twenty six athletes are expected to represent The Gambia at the event that is believed to unveil many hidden talents,” the GNOC stated.
Based on the aforementioned list, The Gambia will take part in six out of 25 sports disciplines to be played at the games. Handball is one of the sports disciplines in the country that’s not mentioned.
More about the novel initiative
The Africa School Games came as a windfall of collaboration between ANOCA and the International School Sport Federation (ISF) at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 last July. Organisers say the African School Games 2025 are part of a move to support the continent’s budding athletes ahead of major competitions such as the African Youth Games slated for December 2025 in Luanda, the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 and the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028.
The ANOCA President, Honorable Mustapha Berraf, who is also an IOC member, ANOC Vice President and President of the Olympafrica Foundation, said when the initiative was announced last week that the games represent the future of African sports.
“By investing in our young people and creating new competition platforms suited to different levels of development, we are laying the foundations for a robust and inclusive sports ecosystem on our continent,’’ he said
